Learn More

The Genus of American Golf

by Bob Cupp

In 1657, almost a hundred and twenty years before our revolution, two men were arrested in Albany, New York, for hitting a ball with an club through the streets and breaking windows, obviously fueled by spirits. But nonetheless, the essence of the game was alive and well and so were its implements—testimony to both the age and intensity of the game.

Eighty-five years later, golf equipment arrived in Savannah, Georgia from Scotland. The 1744 bill of lading was noted by a clerk who dutifully filed them into history to be rediscovered two centuries later. (continue)

The Golden Age of Golf Course Architecture in America

The "Golden Age" of golf course architecture in America is a loosely defined period during the early part of the twentieth century that saw the design and construction of some of the best known and most influential golf courses in the United States. Many of America's greatest course architects worked during this period and the number of courses grew from fewer than 750 in 1916 to nearly 6,000 by 1930.

It is generally accepted that the peak of the Golden Age occurred between the end of World War I and the beginning of the Great Depression. During this time period, both quality and quantity of golf courses in America took a major leap forward. (continue)

Learn More

A Legacy

by Bob Cupp

Golf's Grand Design, both the Public Broadcasting television special and the companion book, is a unique endeavor, chronicling the stories of the surprisingly small cadre who have contributed to American sport and recreation.

It seems that every person who has ever swung a club at a ball, even those who experience marginal success in doing so, believe they, given the opportunity, could create a golf course. Were that the case, why are there not more of us?

The reality is that the requirements are very diverse; a curious mixture of aesthetics, tactics and agronomics, subjects with little if anything in common. To be in a golf architect's mind is to follow a basically agrarian procedure using numerous yardsticks of art, strategy and grass, all eventually wielded by those who will play and revere or criticize it upon its completion. (continue)